Upgrade Guide

Sony A7→Sony A6500

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

£299

2013

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A6500

£649 (+£350)

2016

✅

Strong upgrade

The A6500 improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most A7 owners will notice the difference.

What's new in the A6500

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7	A6500
Price	£299	£649
Released	2013	2016	↑
Sensor	24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS	24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS
Resolution	24MP	24MP	↓
Video	1080p/60p	4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p
Autofocus	117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points	425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection
Stabilisation	None	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS)
Burst Rate	5fps	11fps	↑
Battery Life	~340 shots (CIPA)	~310 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	474g (with battery and card)	453g (with battery and card)	↑
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	↑
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification	EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification
Screen	3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch)	3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony E-mount
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I slot	Single SD UHS-I slot

Compare side-by-side

See A7 and A6500 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A6500 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A7

Related buying guides

Camera family history